Written Answers Monday 17 January 2011

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service has amended its Child Protection Code of Practice, as recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, to take into account the circumstance whereby children are left in its care when the responsible adult has been taken ill.

Nicola Sturgeon: As recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is currently amending its Child Protection Code of Practice. The service has advised me that it anticipates this work being completed before the end of February 2011, thereafter the revised code will be conveyed to staff with the support of the SAS Learning and Development Team and Medical Directorate.

Central Heating

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any problems with the maintenance provided by Eaga to central heating systems installed under the Scottish Government’s Central Heating Programme.

Alex Neil: Under the Central Heating Programme, responsibility for maintaining the central heating system rests with the householder. As a result, we do not hold information on individual maintenance issues.

Central Heating

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many older people who had a central heating system installed by Eaga under the Scottish Government’s Central Heating Programme have experienced problems during the recent cold spell.

Alex Neil: Eaga’s contract to install central heating systems under the Central Heating Programme ended on 31 August 2006. We do not hold information on the performance of individual systems.

Central Heating

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the contractual obligation on Eaga is to rectify problems with central heating systems installed under the Scottish Government’s Central Heating Programme.

Alex Neil: The contract with Eaga provided for all components and workmanship relating to the installation of a heating system under the Central Heating Programme to be covered with a 12 months parts and labour guarantee, including a free service at the end of that period. The contract terminated on 31 August 2006.

Defence

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the retention of RAF Leuchars in light of the impact of the proposed closure on the local community.

Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government views the retention of RAF Leuchars as an issue of national importance, and we are making the strongest possible representations to the UK Government for securing its future. The cross party submission to the UK Government in September 2010 outlined the contribution that RAF Leuchars and the other bases in Scotland make to our local economies and communities. That contribution, and the need for the Ministry of Defence to take social and economic impacts into account within the UK Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), was reinforced at a quadrilateral meeting which I and my counterparts from Wales and Northern Ireland had with the Secretary of State for Defence on 28 September 2010. The case for retaining RAF Leuchars was again made by the First Minister at his meeting with the Secretary of State for Defence on 11 January 2011.

  In addition to the above, and in liaison with Fife Council and other partners, my officials continue to press the Ministry of Defence for clarity on the future direction of the SDSR, in order to ensure that robust and timely representations are made to the UK Government in advance of any decisions being taken in respect of RAF Leuchars.

Defence

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) financial and (b) other support it has given or offered to Fife Council to assist the campaign to retain RAF Leuchars.

Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government is working closely with Fife Council and partners to ensure that the strongest possible representations are made to the UK Government for retaining RAF Leuchars. Following my meeting with Fife Council, local MSPs and business leaders on Wednesday 22 December 2010, the Scottish Government has agreed to support the campaign to secure the future of RAF Leuchars by continuing to press the UK Government for:

  the retention of RAF Leuchars;

  clarity on the timing of any further decisions, and for

  baseline information to support Fife Council in developing a full assessment of the contribution of RAF Leuchars to the local economy and to local services.

  Financial support provided in Moray is specifically for those adversely impacted by the withdrawal of the RAF from Kinloss, where that outcome is already known. We will continue to provide advice and support and to make the strongest possible case for retaining both RAF Leuchars and RAF Lossiemouth.

  I will be meeting again with Fife partners soon.

Food

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the possibility of amending the Scotland Rural Development Programme to provide incentives for food producers who produce local food and use native breeds and integrated farming systems.

Richard Lochhead: Support measures for activities that may assist food producers who produce food for the local market, use native breeds or use integrated farming systems already exist within the current Scotland Rural Development Programme through a combination of support that is available through Rural Priorities and the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation grant scheme.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37924 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 December 2010, for what reason it was not possible to provide the data when it provided similar information in response to question S3O-9094.

Nicola Sturgeon: There was an administrative error in the answer to question S3W-37924 of not referring to the related answer to question S3O-9094 on 14 January 2010.

  The information on the number of attendances at accident and emergency departments due to falls and fractures during the period 28 December 2009 to 3 January 2010 that was included in response to question S3O-9094 was non-routine management information.

  Scottish Government Health Delivery Directorate collected this management information to assess the impact of an increase in falls and fractures on services, in response to NHS boards highlighting falls and fractures as a significant issue during this period.

  The routine collection of data on hospital admissions for falls and fractures is collected by Information Services Division through the Standard Morbidity Record. Although this data is not published as official statistics, it is available on request.

  The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliament’s website, the official report can be viewed at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0114-02.htm#Col22786.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is taking steps to address health inequalities by boosting training in deprived practices in light of the report by Russell and Lough in the November 2010 edition of the British Journal of General Practice .

Nicola Sturgeon: Tackling health inequalities remains a priority for the Scottish Government and features prominently in a range of initiatives and activities that impact on both primary and secondary care services. The Keep Well and Well North initiatives, which have primarily focussed on GP practices as the main route to deliver targeted health checks, has enabled some 91,000 individual health checks, and are being mainstreamed across NHSScotland. In tandem with NHS Education for Scotland, further efforts to boost training places in deprived areas are progressing through expanding health inequality fellowships, and delivering the Childsmile programme in dentistry.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for assessment of more complex cases of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome in (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the report by the Scottish Sleep Forum that in 18,000 to 25,000 affected individuals the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome in (a) men aged 30 to 65 is usually 1-2% and (b) women 0.5-1%.

Nicola Sturgeon: The report makes clear that obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome is a significant public health issue. In view of the link between the condition and obesity, it would be helpful for the report to be read in conjunction with our Obesity Roadmap, in order to tackle the increase in referrals highlighted in the report.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that people referred for obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome are seen within the 18-week maximum waiting time.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has made significant resources available to NHS boards, £250 million over the three years to 2010-11, to deliver the challenging 18 weeks referral to treatment time target by the end of this year.

  To ensure delivery of the target the Health Delivery Improvement and Support Team are working with all boards to redesign and transform services and ensure that good practice is shared across the whole of NHS Scotland.

Homelessness

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra provision has been made to provide shelter for rough sleepers during the recent cold weather conditions.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government fully recognises the importance of ensuring that rough sleepers are able to access accommodation during extreme weather conditions. Local authorities are best placed to ensure this happens and respond to local circumstances. Against this background, we recently wrote to all local authorities in Scotland to recommend that plans are in place to ensure there is provision for those experiencing homelessness in the severe weather and that this allows any rough sleepers to be brought in from the street.

  We indicated that this should include those that are legally without recourse to public funds as a short term, humanitarian response to the conditions. Guidance was given about some of the options available to local authorities in addressing this issue, including keeping day centres open at night and working closely with the voluntary sector who may have important local intelligence about vulnerable individuals. Local authorities were also encouraged to share good practice as some local authorities have greater experience of implementing provision for rough sleepers than others.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional houses to be built under the National Housing Trust are in addition to the target of 6,000 affordable homes to be built in 2011-12.

Alex Neil: Houses procured under the National Housing Trust initiative form part of the programme of 6,000 affordable homes to be taken forward in 2011-12.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional houses to be built under the National Housing Trust will be available at intermediate rents.

Alex Neil: All homes provided under the National Housing Trust initiative will be available at intermediate (mid-market) rents. These are rental levels which are also affordable to those receiving the new, reduced, levels of housing benefit following the cuts to Local Housing Allowance being made by the UK Government.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average rent will be of houses built under the National Housing Trust.

Alex Neil: The level of rent for homes procured through phase one of the National Housing Trust initiative is expected to start at 80% of the current Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate in each area. Rents are expected to increase by the Consumer Price Index plus 1% each year. LHA rates are published on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk . These rental levels are lower than the new, reduced, housing benefit ceilings being brought in by the UK Government.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will underwrite the funding by local authorities for the additional houses to be built under the National Housing Trust for 10 years.

Alex Neil: In short, yes. The Scottish Government’s guarantee to participating local authorities will last for 10 years from the date when each local authority lends funds to part finance the purchases of the National Housing Trust initiative homes. The guarantee will be discharged on the date when the local authority’s loan is repaid in full where that occurs before the end of the 10-year period.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional houses to be built under the National Housing Trust will, after five years, become the property of the developers that have invested 30% of the build cost.

Alex Neil: Homes built under the National Housing Trust initiative will not become the property of the developers. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) for each site will own the homes as long as they remain available for rent under the initiative. The members of each SPV will be the relevant local authority, the developer and the Scottish Futures Trust. After five years, and prior to the end of 10 years, the developers will have the right to instigate the sale of the homes.

Housing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Housing and Communities will accept the leader of Inverclyde Council’s invitation to visit the Clune Park area of Port Glasgow in order to view the challenges faced by the local authority and residents.

Alex Neil: I am aware of the issues affecting Clune Park and met with the Leader of the Council and a cross-party group of elected members in March 2010 to hear their concerns. I have also written to the Leader of Inverclyde Council on a number of occasions advising that I am happy to visit Clune Park when the council has prepared and agreed a comprehensive strategy to address the many issues affecting this area. Work is ongoing to prepare and finalise a viable, cost effective and deliverable solution for the area. Scottish Government officials are working to support the council as it continues to develop this strategy.

Housing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide funding for the acquisition, demolition and rebuild of properties in the Clune Park area of Port Glasgow.

Alex Neil: I am aware of the issues in Clune Park.

  Inverclyde Council is currently developing a comprehensive strategy which addresses the complex housing and socio-economic problems affecting the area. Scottish Government officials are assisting the council in this process. At present, there is no clear, deliverable and cost-effective strategy in place. Until this has been agreed and funding requirements identified it is not possible to confirm the level of support which may be given by the Scottish Government.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the additional houses to be built under the National Housing Trust will benefit lower income households as stated by the Minister for Housing and Communities to The Herald on 14 December 2010.

Alex Neil: The level of rent for homes procured through the National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative is expected to start at 80% of the current Local Housing Allowance rate in each area. At this level they will be affordable to households on lower incomes, including those on housing benefit.

  Applicants will need to provide details of their income when they apply for an NHT home. Each participating council determines the target groups in its area based on its evidence of need and demand. Details of each council’s target groups are set out in the information memorandum for the NHT which is available on the Scottish Futures Trust website at:

  http://www.scottishfuturestrust.org.uk.

  As at September 2010, there were around 87,000 households receiving housing benefit in the private rented sector who are paying up to the market rent.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the reported comment by the chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations that "when the value of forward commitments is deducted from the draft housing budget, the amount of money left could be as little as £150 million".

Alex Neil: I wrote on 17 November 2010 to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and other key housing and regeneration stakeholders setting out the implications of the draft 2011-12 budget published that day. This correspondence explained that the provision in the draft budget of almost £400 million included, among other things, around £300 million allocated through current housing and regeneration programmes, as well as additional provision for investment in new affordable housing supply and other housing and regeneration priorities. By using our expenditure next year to lever in additional investment we expect to deliver over £600 million of investment in new affordable housing supply, helping to support around 7,500 jobs.

Housing

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37254 by John Swinney on 22 November 2010, what action the Director of Housing and Regeneration has taken regarding (a) housing and regeneration programme expenditure, (b) business continuity and (c) general contacts in the last six months.

Alex Neil: In common with his fellow directors across the Scottish Government, the director has ensured that programme expenditure is monitored, controlled and assessed on a regular basis; and that business continuity and contacts with stakeholders are also part of the normal business process.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make university accommodation providers exempt from tenancy deposit schemes.

Alex Neil: Regulations governing the approval of tenancy deposit schemes in Scotland will be laid before the Parliament for consideration during the current session.

  It is our intention that the regulations will apply to those tenancies covered by the landlord registration provisions contained in the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.

  As they are covered by the landlord registration provisions in the 2004 act, university accommodation providers would not be exempt from the duty to comply with the regulations if passed by the Parliament.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the appropriateness of university accommodation providers being exempt from tenancy deposit schemes.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38551 on 17 January 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

International Relations

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures its agencies undertake with representative offices of countries that its staff visit on business.

Fiona Hyslop: There is no formal guidance setting out how agencies should engage with representative offices in Scotland before travelling to their countries.

Justice

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) reported to the procurator fiscal and (b) fined by local authorities for illegal dumping in each year since 2007, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Frank Mulholland: The following table shows the number of charges reported to Procurators Fiscal under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 33(1).

  The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) database does not contain information to identify parliamentary constituency boundaries and court jurisdictions do not match parliamentary boundaries. As a result, the information has been split into court jurisdictions.

  Information about any action taken by local authorities is not held centrally.

  Charges: Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 33(1)

  

Court
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Aberdeen
-
-
2


Airdrie
5
5
6


Arbroath
-
1
-


Ayr
-
-
1


Banff
-
2
-


Campbeltown
-
1
-


Cupar
1
-
2


Dumbarton
-
4
1


Dumfries
2
2
1


Dundee
-
-
7


Dunfermline
2
1
4


Dunoon
-
1
-


Edinburgh
68
43
67


Falkirk
7
5
1


Glasgow
5
40
5


Greenock
-
-
5


Hamilton
5
1
3


Inverness
-
-
2


Kilmarnock
-
5
-


Kirkcaldy
-
9
2


Livingston
6
2
4


Oban
-
1
-


Paisley
-
4
-


Peterhead
-
1
-


Stirling
-
1
-


Stonehaven
-
1
-


Stornoway
2
2
-


Stranraer
-
-
1


Tain
-
1
-


Wick
-
-
1



  The information in this table has been extracted from COPF’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to Procurators Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency the database will record details only of the amended charge.

  The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

Myalgic Encephalopathy

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS and guidance to NHS boards make recommendations on sending patients for out-of-area treatment where a board is unable to provide the recommended treatment locally.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Good Practice Statement contains an example of a generic care pathway that includes appropriate referral to a specialist clinic or treatment centre, without reference to NHS board boundaries.

  The statement and its accompanying documents can be found at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/GoodPracticeStatementonME-CFSforGeneralPractitioners.

Myalgic Encephalopathy

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS and guidance to NHS boards make recommendations regarding the referral of patients with severe and complex symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome to tertiary hospital services including admission.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Good Practice Statement is based on the principle that all treatment should be collaborative and tailored to the needs of the individual patient. It recognises that general practitioners may well need to make referrals to designated clinical services for assistance with the management of patients.

  The report of the Scottish Public Health Network’s needs assessment of ME-CFS also outlines a recommended service model that includes specialist hospital services. The report is available at:

  http://www.scotphn.net/pdf/Final_report_web_version_240910_pdf.pdf

NHS Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the per capita spending was in each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows net operating expenditure per head for each NHS board from 2007-08 to 2009-10.

  

Boards
Net Operating Expenditure per Head 2007-08 £
Net Operating Expenditure per Head 2008-09 £
Net Operating Expenditure per Head 2009-10) £


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
1,703
1,781
1,851


NHS Borders
1,640
1,693
1,752


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
1,775
1,837
1,902


NHS Fife
1,513
1,611
1,649


NHS Forth Valley
1,523
1,589
1,634


NHS Grampian
1,422
1,482
1,538


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
1,807
1,849
1,909


NHS Highland
1,766
1,856
1,892


NHS Lanarkshire
1,549
1,616
1,684


NHS Lothian
1,436
1,485
1,529


NHS Orkney
2,138
2,248
2,340


NHS Shetland
2,034
2,235
2,349


NHS Tayside
1,721
1,774
1,825


NHS Western Isles
2,545
2,724
2,826



  Source: ISD Scotland, costbook.

NHS Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason NHS Orkney has to find efficiency savings of 8.6% in 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards are required to deliver 2% efficient government savings in 2010-11. These savings are retained locally by boards for reinvestment in frontline services. The majority of boards, including NHS Orkney, have set local targets in excess of the efficient government target in 2010-11 to ensure delivery of financial breakeven and to support development and continuous improvement of health care services. NHS Orkney approved a three-year clinical and financial strategy in June 2009 which aims to restore the board to recurring financial balance through sustainable redesign of services. The board’s 2010-11 financial plan, including the savings target, is based on the three-year clinical and financial strategy and reflects the board’s commitment to reduce reliance on non-recurring funding.

NHS Services

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are on waiting lists for treatment in (a) Dundee and (b) Angus Community Health Partnership areas for (i) adult physiotherapy, (ii) pulmonary rehabilitation, (iii) paediatrics continence service and (iv) women’s health.

Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally.

NHS Services

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for an appointment with a podiatrist in the (a) Dundee and (b) Angus Community Health Partnership area.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. However, NHS Tayside has informed me that, as of 1 October 2010, the number of new patients waiting to be seen by a podiatrist in the Dundee and Angus Community Health Partnership area is 400 in Dundee and 317 in Angus.

NHS Staff

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified nursing graduates have been employed in each of the last six intakes, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. NHS Scotland’s workforce data does not identify newly qualified nursing graduates separately from other nursing recruits.

NHS Staff

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified midwifery graduates have been employed in each of the last six intakes, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally. NHS Scotland’s workforce data does not identify newly qualified midwifery graduates separately from other midwifery recruits.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to go to their MSPs and councillors with concerns regarding (a) their treatment as employees and (b) services.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Voicing Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) Guideline, which contains a model whistleblowing policy, includes provision for workers to make disclosures more widely (for example to the police, the media, MSPs, consumers and non-prescribed regulators), having exhausted internal procedures.

  This PIN guideline is currently under review. As part of this process, the review group will consider and include the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 which gives workers automatic protection for raising a matter internally and the right to make disclosures to prescribed regulators, as well as to make disclosures more widely, in certain circumstances as prescribed within the act. The revised PIN will be published in April 2011.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to discuss with patient organisations any concerns regarding services.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Voicing Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) Guideline, which contains a model whistleblowing policy, includes provision for workers to make disclosures more widely (for example to the police, the media, MSPs, consumers and non-prescribed regulators), having exhausted internal procedures.

  This PIN guideline is currently under review. As part of this process, the review group will consider and include the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which gives workers automatic protection for raising a matter internally and the right to make disclosures to prescribed regulators, as well as to make disclosures more widely, in certain circumstances as prescribed within the act. The revised PIN will be published in April 2011.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to go to their representatives on the staff partnership forum with concerns regarding (a) their treatment as employees and (b) services.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS staff are within their rights at any stage to raise concerns regarding either their treatment as employees, or regarding services, with partnership representatives.

National Health Service

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many compensation payments have been made in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Compensation payments made by NHS Boards since 2007-8 is as follows:

  

Boards
Compensation Payments (2009-10). No. of Cases
Compensation Payments (2008-09). No. of Cases
Compensation Payments (2007-08). No. of Cases


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
87
80
101


NHS Borders
39
41
47


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
46
59
34


NHS Fife
121
106
139


NHS Forth Valley
84
75
99


NHS Grampian
94
130
134


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
502
616
349


NHS Highland
57
51
68


NHS Lanarkshire
129
119
116


NHS Lothian
265
337
272


NHS Orkney
0
1
0


NHS Shetland
0
1
0


NHS Tayside
52
87
88


NHS Western Isles
0
0
0


NHS 24
1
7
2


NHS Health Scotland
0
0
0


NHS National Services Scotland
17
18
9


Scottish Ambulance Service
6
20
24


Quality Improvement Scotland
0
0
1


NHS Education for Scotland
1
0
0


National Waiting Times Centre
0
0
0


The State Hospital
16
22
21


Total NHS Scotland
1,517
1,770
1,504



  Source: NHS Boards Annual Accounts 2007-08 to 2009-10.

  The figures above are inclusive of both clinical and non-clinical compensation payments and ex-gratia payments.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have been made to its HEAT targets since they were introduced.

Nicola Sturgeon: The details of HEAT targets can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following link. www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/17273/targets .

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the future of the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a consultation with stakeholders on the future of the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland. We welcome all views on how we can ensure that external scrutiny of police complaints handling is effective and efficient.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of trains ran on time between Coatbridge Sunnyside and Glasgow Queen Street stations on each day from 29 November to 8 December 2010.

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what average annual percentage of trains run on time between Coatbridge Sunnyside and Glasgow Queen Street stations.

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of trains ran on time between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street stations on each day from 29 November to 8 December 2010.

Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.

Trump Organization Planning Application

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) phone calls, (b) letters, (c) emails and (d) other communications were made between its ministers, officials and representatives and the Trump Organization between 29 November and 10 December 2007.

John Swinney: Substantial information was published by the Scottish Government on the Menie Estate planning application. These documents, which include the period between 29 November and 10 December 2007, are available on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/1997/03/17133808/0.

Trump Organization Planning Application

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any communication from ministers or civil servants between 29 November and 10 December 2007 could be interpreted as encouraging the Trump Organization to expect that its planning application for the Menie Estate would be granted and, if so, who was involved in any such communications.

John Swinney: No.

Trump Organization Planning Application

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assurances, statements, views or comments were given by the First Minister to the Trump Organization on the likely outcome of its planning application for the Menie Estate at his meeting with their representatives on 3 December 2007.

John Swinney: No. Mr Salmond undertook this meeting in his capacity as the MSP for Gordon and was excluded from the decision making process on this application.

Weather

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37924 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 December 2010, whether estimated figures are available on the number of attendances at accident and emergency (A&E) departments due to falls and fractures during the winter of 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government Health Delivery Directorate collected information to assess the impact of an increase in falls and fractures on services over the period 28 December 2009 to 3 January 2010. This was in response to NHS boards highlighting falls and fractures as a significant issue during this period. This information was non-routine management information. This information was provided in response to question S3O-9094 on 14 January 2010. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliament’s website, the official report can be viewed at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0114-02.htm#Col22786.

  According to this management information, during the period 28 December 2009 to 3 January 2010, there were approximately 50% more attendances at A&E departments across Scotland, due to falls and fractures, when compared to the same period in the previous year.

  NHSScotland has not highlighted falls and fractures as a significant issue in the winter 2010-11 situation reports as yet, therefore this management information has not been requested for winter 2010-11. We continually review the need for additional management information from boards against the burdens placed on them by other additional non-routine data requests.

  The routine collection of data on hospital admissions for falls and fractures is collected by Information Services Division through the Standard Morbidity Record. Although this data is not published as official statistics, it is available on request.

Weather

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether estimated figures are available on the number of attendances at accident and emergency (A&E) departments due to falls and fractures during the recent cold weather conditions and how this compares with the same period in 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government Health Delivery Directorate collected information to assess the impact of an increase in falls and fractures on services over the period 28 December 2009 to 3 January 2010. This was in response to NHS boards highlighting falls and fractures as a significant issue during this period. This information was non-routine management information. This information was provided in response to question S3O-9094 on 14 January 2010. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliament’s website, the official report can be viewed at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0114-02.htm#Col22786.

  According to this management information, during the period 28 December 2009 to 3 January 2010, there were approximately 50% more attendances at A&E departments across Scotland, due to falls and fractures, when compared to the same period in the previous year.

  NHSScotland has not highlighted falls and fractures as a significant issue in the winter 2010-11 situation reports as yet, therefore this management information has not been requested for winter 2010-11. We continually review the need for additional management information from boards against the burdens placed on them by other additional non-routine data requests.

  The routine collection of data on hospital admissions for falls and fractures is collected by Information Services Division through the Standard Morbidity Record. Although this data is not published as official statistics, it is available on request and complete data for December 2010 should be available in April 2011.